Artist Call: ‘The Best of the Gorge’ needed by May 29

The June show at Columbia Art Gallery, “The Best of the Gorge,” will celebrate and reward the best artwork produced by mid-Columbia residents. Prizes will be awarded to the best works, both 2D and 3D — all media are invited, from drawing and painting to glass and ceramics to sculpture, mixed media and photography.

For many years the gallery at Columbia Center for the Arts had a summer show titled “Hail Mid-Columbia,” celebrating the best work of Gorge residents. The Best of the Gorge will continue that tradition.

The show is open to all mid-Columbia residents who live in the region for at least three months annually.

Jurying of works will be done on Saturday, May 31, at Columbia Center for the Arts. Works must be delivered to the arts center by May 29 to be considered for inclusion in the show.

Each artist may submit up to three pieces. The submission fee is $30; payable to Columbia Center for the Arts at the time of delivery.

As storage space is limited, works should be brought as close to May 29 as possible, and not prior to May 25. If that is difficult, contact Bill Sturman, co-curator, at 541-352-0926, as soon as possible to make special arrangements for delivery.

Work that is not accepted for the show must be picked up by 5 p.m. June 3; Sturman will contact artists by email on Sunday, June 1, if they have work to be picked up.

All submitted pieces must have been created within the last two years. They may not have been displayed previously in the mid-Columbia region.

All submitted pieces must be ready for display.

Space will be at a premium, so maximum sizes for submitted pieces will be enforced. For 2-D works the framed size must be less than 36 inches on the longest size. 3-D works must be less than about 20 cubic feet; i.e., a box about 3 x 2 x 4-feet, depending on the work’s overall shape.

Submitted pieces will be juried individually and each accepted piece will be displayed. All displayed pieces will remain throughout the month, and purchased pieces may be picked up at the end of the show.

As CCA is a non-for-profit, retail gallery and as summer is the most important sales period, pieces that are saleable and priced for the local art market are sought. (If you have questions about appropriateness of your pieces and/or their prices, contact Gallery Manager Caroline Mead at 541-387-8877, ext 115.)

Artists will sign the regular CCA show contract and submit an artist statement at the time of delivery of their works. CCA’s regular commission, 40 percent, will apply to all sales.

Prizes

Best of Show, $500

Second Place, $300

Third Place, $200

Honorable Mention, $50

Arthur DeBow has been named juror for this premier exhibition. DeBow is director of exhibitions and curator at the Oregon School of Art and Craft in Portland. He is well-versed in numerous media, both 2-D and 3-D, and is highly qualified to evaluate the creativity and technique expressed therein.

DeBow has juried numerous regional and national art exhibitions. He will be selecting individual works to be included in the show and also selecting the prize winners.

The show will open with an evening reception June 6, First Friday, from 6-8 p.m. All show artists should plan to attend. There will be food, drink and music from Diane Allen and Donna Reuter, and the prize winners will be announced.

The juror will attend and describe what he saw in the prize-winning pieces that made them stand out. Artists are also encouraged to be ready to describe their artistic processes to patrons attending the reception and admiring their works.

The show takedown will take place Monday, June 30. If you cannot be at the Center on that day to pick up your unsold pieces, contact Bill Sturman prior to June 27 and make other arrangements; per the show setup, it may be possible for special arrangements to be made.

For more information, contact Gallery Manager Caroline Mead at 541-387-8877, ext. 115, or email her at gallery@columbiaarts.org.